Maldives show fighting spirit despite exit from SAFF Women’s Championship

The Maldives women’s national team bowed out of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 after a 4-2 defeat to defending champions Bangladesh in Goa, India, on Wednesday night.

After suffering a heavy 11-0 defeat against hosts India in their opening Group B encounter, Maldives responded with a much-improved and spirited performance against Bangladesh, showing determination and character throughout the match.

Bangladesh raced into a 2-0 lead early in the match and appeared in control, but Maldives fought back impressively to level the score at 2-2, stunning the defending champions and briefly swinging momentum in their favour. The comeback marked one of Maldives’ best periods in the tournament, as the side showed attacking intent and resilience under pressure.

However, Bangladesh’s experience eventually proved decisive as they restored their advantage and went on to secure a 4-2 victory to open their campaign with three points.

With only three teams in Group B, the result confirms the end of Maldives’ campaign in this year’s championship. Despite exiting the tournament without a point, the team can take positives from their strong response after the difficult opening loss to India.

The SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 is being played in Goa, India, with the region’s top women’s national teams competing for the South Asian title.